#fake social media doodles are fun but watch out

[snackugaki]

oh well didn't make it after all

my tmnt  iteration (where everyone made it past their 20s, splinter’s alive just old, venus is here, and they deserve some goddamn respite and shenanigans)

tmnt  iteration part 1 | part 2 | part 3 | part 4 | part 5 | part 6 | part 7 | part 8 | part 9 | part 10

tmnt  iteration omake 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16

lny visit 1 | 2

[snackugaki-jestsjapesjokes]

wip li si hard mode vs easy mode

[darbiebot]

Darlain’s Photodex Entry One

((Hello! This will be the first post of many of an AU of Darlain in the Pokemon world. If you’re worried about spoilers for the Pokemon Snap Game, or just aren’t into pokemon and want to avoid spam, please blacklist the Darbiesnaps tag! ICly she’s posting these pics into an in-world instagram/tumblr social media site, so if you’d like to join in, feel free to reblog or reply. It’s all in good fun!))

“I was feelin a different calling on the tail end o’ my Pokemon Journey, especially with ‘enii shooting ‘erself straight tae the top and becoming the Galar Champion. I knew I was always going to be that simple girl from Wedgehurst. So while a lot o’ my friends went the Gym career route, or ended up as big researches at Sylph co and the like... I felt a little stuck. Didn’t really take to battling. I loved my team more than winning, and spent too much time doodling in my notebooks, watching them play. 

I’ve come across a unique opportunity, a little research job I found in my internship at the pokedex lab, a professor with very little funds heading to the Lental region for a Ecological survey, a series of islands surrounding a nature reserve, mostly uninhabited, aside from the campgrounds within the main island’s park.  My boss thought it’d be a great opportunity to capture data to sell to the dex cataloguers, and I had a pretty hefty portfolio as an amateur photographer from my Journey.

So... here we go, i’m abandoning my trusty pokedex, and coming out with my camera, an old fashioned journal, and the ability to fake the confidence I need to impress Professor Mirror! I’ll be keeping updates on my pokegram!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Professor Mirror’s a bit younger than I expected, only a few years older than me. Seems to be just a handful of us on the team, so i’m guessing he’s fresh out of university, this is probably a passion project he hopes leads to grants. It’s hard not to enjoy his enthusiasm, which is only magnified a thousand times over by his assistant, Rita. Rita reminds me a bit of myself when I was younger, passionate, excitable, and very naive. She makes for a good assistant though, wish my parents had sent me to one of these when I was her age, it’s a heck of an opportunity!”

“Just finished putting away my things and the research center’s local denizen came right on up to say hi! Figured i’d test out my new camera and get a shot. Not the best start, but he was quite the personable little guy. Pikachus are what i’d classify as a personable pokemon type. Where it’s fellow Pokemon or people, they’re fairly fearless and prone to play behavior. Even predators know not to mess with them, so they tend to make playmates with all sorts of unusual species. Professor Mirror says he’s pretty famous on the campgrounds, and has taken to just... being around the Lab. I’m not complaining!

Tomorrow morning i’ll be heading out to the nature park for my first survey. Not sure how to organize my shots yet, but I think it’ll be a mix of focused behavioral surveys of specific Pokemon, and general photo sets of entire surveys. I’m pretty thorough, so hopeful you all will enjoy all the pictures!

Wish me Luck!

Darbie

[henrik-von-schneeplestein]

Schneeplebro Week Day 1

Prompt: Meet Cute

Word Count: 1627

Warnings: alcohol

Summary: presidential alert: the girls are FLIRTINGGGG

--

Chase wandered the room awkwardly, eyes desperately searching for someone he knew or at least someone who didn’t look busy. This was no small task, considering it was a huge room full of people and he’d only ever spoken to about two or three of them.

To be honest, the only person he’d really interacted with at all had been Layla, a member of the hospital’s accounting department who was in charge of fundraising efforts. They’d gotten in contact when he decided he wanted to do a big charity livestream on his channel benefitting a local children’s hospital, and she’d helped him set up the donation site. She’d also been the one who’d invited him to this event, a party thrown in honor of the top benefactors, after the stream had ended up being a huge success. He didn’t even really want to come, it wasn’t his type of thing and it wasn’t like he raised the money to  get applause, but Layla insisted that she had to thank him in person, and she’d been so nice the whole time they’d worked together, he hadn’t had the heart to say no. 

But as nice as it had been to shake her hand and chat with her a little, she’d eventually had to run off to thank other guests, too, and Chase found himself alone amongst groups of people. It seemed that a lot of the benefactors knew each other. Their clothes implied wealth, and wealth in Los Angeles was big wealth. They presumably attended these sorts of events all the time, a social circle that Chase and his tattoo-and-trickshot vibe simply didn’t fit into.

Some of the hospital staff was in attendance too, or so Chase had been told. They were hard to pick out; they were mostly doctors and dressed just as nicely as the guests of honor.

He couldn’t find Layla, but he did see Richard Spyer, the director of the whole hospital, who had video called in towards the end of the livestream to thank Chase and the viewers for the work they were doing. He’d struck Chase as a bit of a blowhard, or maybe just a little pompous, but nice enough, and more importantly, he was a familiar face, and he was only standing with one other person, a tall man with broad shoulders and a handsome face.

As he got closer, he heard the stranger speaking with a German accent. From what he overheard, they were talking about a project that involved changing the hospital computer system; it sounded like they knew each other. Chase hoped he wasn’t interrupting by walking up, but before he could apologize for the intrusion, Dr. Spyer spotted him and stopped in the middle of the sentence to yell, “Chase! It’s good to see you, so glad you could make it!” and shake his hand so enthusiastically that Chase’s shoulder went up and down along with their hands.

“It’s great to see you, too. I just wanted to thank you for having me tonight. I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

“Not at all, not at all, let me introduce you two! This is Dr. Schneeplestein. He’s one of our best surgeons.”

“Henrik,” the stranger corrected, waving off the compliment.

“And this is Chase Brody. He works in social media; the fundraiser he ran brought in a huge percentage of our donations this quarter.”

Usually it made Chase a little uncomfortable when someone used vague euphemisms for his job like that; it just reinforced that he was unwelcome and out of place. But he was almost glad that he wasn’t being introduced as a Youtuber to someone as professional (and as gorgeous) as Dr. Schneeplestein. But it seemed like he might have known anyways. He raised his eyebrows as he gave Chase’s hand a firm shake. “I knew I recognized your voice,” he said. “I have an eleven-year-old at home; trust me, I hear your videos all day.”

Chase didn’t know if he should be embarrassed, but Dr. Schneeplestein’s tone was very friendly. More than anything, Chase was surprised that he had an eleven year old. He was definitely older than Chase, probably by somewhere between five and ten years, judging by the gray in his hair, but he still looked relatively young. He also, Chase couldn’t help but notice, wasn’t wearing a wedding ring.

Dr. Spyer excused himself to go greet other guests, and Chase was momentarily panicked about being left alone to make conversation, but thankfully, the doctor didn’t seem to mind. “Thank you, sincerely, for bringing in all those donations. I know Richard can be… well, he’s Richard, but I promise, the money is all well spent.”

“You don’t have to thank me. I’ve always really loved kids and I just want to help in any way I can. I’m glad that my channel’s popular enough to make a real difference, even if my videos are a little dumb.”

“I wouldn’t call them dumb; you have no idea how cool my son thinks you are. I hope it isn’t rude to ask if you’d sign something for him?”

“Not at all; I’d be happy to!”

“You are too kind. Let me buy you a drink,” he said, nodding to the bar.

“Oh, no, you really don’t have to -”

“I insist. We can steal a napkin while we’re over there.” He led the way across the room. “What do you drink?”

Chase didn’t want to ask for anything too expensive so he played it safe. “Just a beer.” He realized he should be more specific, but before he could correct himself, Henrik turned to the bartender and ordered for both of them. 

“So you’re from Germany, right? Does that mean you know good beer?” 

He laughed but kept his voice low when he answered so as not to be overheard. “Yes, but you won’t get it here. They never have real beer at places like these.”

“It’s probably hard to find at all around here. Nothing’s real in L.A.”

“Sometimes it is. If you know where to look.” And right now, he was looking right into Chase’s eyes. Chase didn’t know what to say to that, so the moment lingered until the bartender brought their drinks over. Henrik asked to borrow a pen before she walked away, and handed it to Chase along with a napkin.

“What’s your son’s name?”

“Ben.”

“That’s cute,” he said as he started writing. He didn’t have a ton of space to work with, so he just wrote ‘Ben - thanks for being a part of the channel! Love, Chase’ and doodled the channel symbol next to his name. “Is this enough?” he asked, showing Henrik.

“That’s perfect. He’ll love it.” He slipped it into an inner pocket of his jacket. “Thank you again.”

They sat at the bar a while longer, talking and sipping their beers. Chase asked if it was hard to work in pediatric surgery as a father, and Henrik said it was but that was why he did it. He found out Henrik had a younger son too, and that he’d gone through a divorce about a year and a half ago. Chase told Henrik that he’d actually gone to school to work with kids too, as a teacher, but that the channel he’d started as a hobby had started taking off around the time that he’d graduated and needed a job, and it was nice to be self-employed and set your own hours. Henrik offered to get him another drink, but Chase had driven himself there and didn’t want to deal with Ubering home and then back in the morning for his car.

Eventually, the night was drawing to a close, and Richard, Layla, and a few more of the bigwigs got up on the little platform on one side of the room, where the DJ often set up when this room was rented under less formal circumstances. They gave pretty much the same speech they’d given at the beginning of the party, thanking everyone, talking about how important this all was, and so on. Henrik alternated between watching them and making fun of Richard’s schmoozing, mimicking his big fake grin and always-moving hands to make Chase laugh. Chase, meanwhile, waited for Henrik to turn back towards the stage, and then grabbed the other napkin that had come with their drinks and scrawled something on it.

When they finally wished everyone a goodnight and got offstage, people rushed around getting ready to leave. More than a few people came over to the bar to tip the bartender or get one last drink if they weren’t driving, so Chase and Henrik moved to avoid the crowd.

As they walked towards the door, Chase summoned his courage.

“If you’re ever interested, I’d love to meet your son sometime.” He handed Henrik the other napkin, with his phone number written on it. “You can call me whenever. Text. Doesn’t matter. I’m always on my phone.”

“That would be amazing. And hey, maybe I can show you where to find real beer in this city.”

Chase felt his cheeks flush a little. “I’d like that.”

“Me too. It was great to meet you, Chase. Have a good night - safe drive home, yeah?”

“Yeah. You too.” Henrik smiled, and touched Chase’s shoulder for the briefest moment before he walked away. 

Chase watched him cross the parking lot, feeling a little dazed, like he couldn’t remember why he’d actually come here tonight. He jumped a mile when Layla came up to thank him one last time; he’d almost forgotten that the people around him were real. 

He got into his own car and the second he turned it on and the radio came to life, the most beautiful love song started playing.

[aesjae]

nct 2018 as high schoolers

Style/ Genre: Headcanon/ - Word Count: 2,944 Date Posted: 2 Nov 2018

*i wrote this with nct being in an asian senior high school in mind* (i’m asian so i’m not very sure about the western high school system :-( )

Taeil

the quiet high schooler

the one that you’ll always find in the music room practising after school

shy and quiet around those he doesn’t know well

but really weird with his friends

somebody you can always hear humming to some random tune when you pass by him in the hallways

but he only dares to sing as soulfully as he can when he’s alone or with his friends at karaoke

the one who will voluntarily and wordlessly share his food with you when you have no money at lunch

not in any extracurriculars as he dedicates his time to practising

doesn’t socialise much but still has a circle of good friends

works as hard as other students in class but doesn’t put too much pressure on himself

generally cheerful (in a quiet way)

takes weird ass selfies and photos with his friends cue the questionable poses

that high school friend you create embarrassing high school moments with

Johnny

s o c i a l  b e e

knows almost everybody in the cohort, and a good number of seniors too

has at least 4 friends in each class that he personally knows

in several extracurriculars such as choir and basketball

he would sometimes be a guest player for his friends performing for showcases/ talent shows

playing on the piano or doing a duet

friendly to everyone

greets everybody that he knows in the hallways, including teachers

a literal sunflower

radiates sunshine everywhere and brightens up people’s days

that classmate who would go up to you and ask what’s wrong when you look down, even if you’re not close to him

hangs out with friends after school/ after school activities at the nearby fast food restaurant/ diner

when you don’t see him going around being social, you might find him in an empty, quiet corner in school listening to music on his earpiece

student DJ for prom and other in-school events

Taeyong

another quiet high schooler, though not as much as taeil

takes care of everyone

literally the mom of the class

friendly with everyone but has a small group of close knitted friends

shy baby when with classmates/ batch mates he doesn’t really know

cares about his grades, though does not overly pressurise himself to excel

the kind of classmate/ friend you would admire for his ability to juggle his time well, despite the hectic high school life

helps you out in homework whenever you ask

this kindness may sometimes get exploited by horrible classmates >:-(

can be rebellious and mischievous at times but generally a good student

you might find him sleeping at his desk during some lunch breaks

gets several love letters in his locker every week

probably never tried rapping before his friend introduced it to him, which he finds out he can rap fire

Yuta

that classmate/ friend who smiles radiantly at you whenever you see each other in and outside of school

likes to sling his bag on one shoulder

can hear him whistling to tunes along the hallway or at the field

in soccer club

quite well known within his cohort for his bright and outgoing nature

friends with a commendable number of people

that high schooler whose name you can hear people calling down the hallway

“Yuta-kun!!”

playful student

the kind that would crack in class jokes, making the class, and sometimes the teacher, laugh

but he may also get detention for such harmless jokes by stricter teachers

gets in trouble sometimes for not handing in his work on time

can find him on the soccer fields practising drills after school

Kun

model student

class president

the father among his friends

that student you can find going around class checking in on everybody and giving any help to those that need in

be it academics or just in need of company

attains good grades but always humble

teachers would really like him

brings his own cooked food for lunch and shares with his friends

you can also find him in the music room alone playing the piano during some breaks

the classmate who cooks the meat at class BBQ outings and barbecues the meat really well

occasionally goes for supplementary culinary classes during school holidays

probably can find him at the library more than at the beach during summer break

that friend that gives a very comforting vibe

that classmate that you count always count for a listening ear or shoulder

shows his classmates random magic tricks in class 

Doyoung

that high schooler who’s full of s a s s

doesn’t rebut teachers but makes really smart comments that leave teachers unable to respond

but behind that sass he would be a very friendly schoolmate

his motherly side shows up with his really close friends

but takes care of his other classmates well too

would rather be playing mobile games than going out in the sun to play with his friends during breaks

would probably start singing randomly regardless of where he is, he doesn’t really care

strict and uptight teachers may give him detention for singing in the hallways

doyoung would probably fake a sorry and roll his eyes after turning around

starts studying only 2 weeks before exams but still fairs well

if he were to be in an extracurricular, he would start up a “sleep and do nothing” club in school

which proposal gets rejected, obviously

judges his friends for doing weird ass shits but laughs and joins in afterwards

Ten

another high schooler that is full of s a s s

in dance club

if you don’t find him in his rightful classrooms, he would probably be in the dance studio or somewhere in the school garden taking a nap

every time he excuses himself to the toilet it would be commemorated with mirror selfies

which are posted on instagram: “in school but not in class 🤪”

doesn’t pay attention to class a lot or very attentively as he gets bored easily (ten’s bored ass face when watching the couple dance on hit the stage)

doodles on his textbooks and notebooks instead

which turn out to be masterpieces btw

occasionally goes to the gymnasium to do gymnastics or play basketball when he’s bored

probably gets called by teachers a lot for his piercings

lowkey student rebel

very funny and entertaining classmate

would casually raise dirty jokes to his friends and laugh himself

would suddenly start laughing in class when he uses his phone secretly

many classmates may suspect he has a girlfriend but it would just be his sister

mischievously talks about being able to watch mature movies when they become of age

Jaehyun

f l o w e r  b o y

popular, even among seniors and juniors

would probably receive tons of love and confession letters, especially during his birthday (aka valentine’s)

in basketball club

probably has a lot of admirers who come and watch him during basketball matches

performs for showcases

draws even more fans that swoon over not just his visuals, but also his vocals

cares about his grades and actually fairs better than average

would study on days without basketball practice and after practices

despite his popularity and good academics, he stays humble and easygoing

centre of envy of many people for being an all-rounder

doesn’t really gym but maintains quite a good body due to basketball

like johnny, he would be well-liked by many, including teachers

can find him at the library or bookstore on weekends

maybe sometimes at a nearby cafe reading a book with coffee

Winwin

quiet classmate

but not very shy

doesn’t speak much in class or to his friends but loves to roast his friends

writes nonsensical stuff on his friends’ books when he’s bored in class

“hahahaha lol i’m bored”

“你知道我是谁吗？我是董思成!!” ( “do you know who i am? i am dong si cheng!!” )

random doodles too

might whisper random jokes about the teacher or something into his tablemate’s ear, causing them to laugh out loud

resulting in both of them getting into trouble

not as popular as taeyong or jaehyun but still fairly known in school for his visuals

that classmate who is innocent but also knows sufficient information on certain topics 

yet still pretends to be innocent and pure 

in traditional dance club

performs frequently on stage for dance

subject of admiration among many schoolmates for his dance skills and awesome flexibility wtp

that classmate/ friend that you feel like always feel like taking care of 

Jungwoo 

fairly quiet classmate

but also very hype when he's high af!!

that classmate that supports and hype you up whenever you're feeling down or anxious before examinations/ competitions

that friend that makes you feel like smiling along with him whenever you see him in school, even if you were feeling terrible before

such a supportive friend that would even cry when he sees his friends doing well in school/ competitions

proud father maybe

has a small crush on the cute teacher 

which you can catch staring dreamily at during their class (staring at mark)

and he would blush really badly 

would agree to participate in weird and embarrassing stuff with you

that friend you talk to past midnight on a school night and go to school hella tired with no regrets

comes to school with bedhair sometimes when he’s running late 

often entertains the class because of how blur and confused he is 

tries his hardest in everything he does, including academics and non-academics

often participates in community involvement

Lucas

l o u d  a f 

definitely can hear him from across the school field 

in volleyball/ baseball/ fencing maybe (?)

jock 

but he would be nowhere arrogant 

very very hyped all the time 

not all that good of a student (but he still tries)

class clown!!

takes lots of pictures of himself and puts up on social media (those several half-naked pictures of teenage yukhei tho)

has fun on weekends instead of studying at home

easygoing and outgoing 

likes to jokingly flirt with his friends 

gets eye candied by several of his schoolmates

if you don’t hear his voice, it would be a big exception

he would probably be asleep on his table or jamming quietly to loud music on his headphones 

might have a reputation among the student body to be a jerk or playboy but is actually a real softie and sweetie

P.S. would look great in school uniform 

Mark

omg the king of mirror selfies since elementary school 

look through his social media account and you would be able to witness the revolution of his mirror selfies from elementary to high school 

continues to take mirror selfies with his friends on days that he is unusually extremely smiley and happy 

likes to sit by the window seat in class and strum his guitar softly

sometimes accompanied with some of his soft vocals

well-liked by classmates and teachers

would start writing self-composed lyrics on his notebook when he’s bored in class

would be in an indie band with some of his friends

performs for school and town events 

would also take study time off to perform for church events

probably cannot hear him as audibly as lucas but if you are lucky you might hear his laughter from down the corridor 

might forget his whole pencil case to school sometimes smh

groans otw to science classes

knows education is important but groans otw to school, in school, after school anyways

excited to get out of school to get ice cream

Renjun

probably won’t really look like a high schooler cause s m o l

you would probably find a lot of moomin doodles in his books

a lot of moomin related stuff, though not excessive

maybe like moomin keychains, including a moomin plushie keychain on his bag, moomin phone case etc.

some mean classmates may tease him for it but a lot of others would think it’s completely fine and some may find it really cute too

an attentive student, as compared to the rest of the members (especially the dreamies)

probably takes one of the centre seats in class to get a good view of the board

doesn’t really answer questions in class but participates actively in class activities

people consult him for help in studies

roasts his friends a lot of the time

loves his friends but also want to strangle them and leave school to be away from them most of the time

video games at home/ friend’s home over high school parties

enjoys going to karaoke and dancing with friends

in art club

Jeno

another high school model

well-liked, not just cause of his looks but also his personality

teachers a d o r e him (so do every other student)

that student that always volunteers to help teachers out, even teachers he doesn’t know

low-key likes to embarrass his friends by correcting wrong stuff they say

good in Physical Education

plays sports with his classmates/ friends after school frequently

at the start of his first year in high school he would’ve been actively scouted by many extracurriculars

chooses to be in modelling club eventually

both a model and an assistant photographer

though he would prefer taking photos for leisure

also in volleyball club

possibly a spiker

juggles studies, extracurricular, family and social life well

commendable grades, slightly above average

tags along with his best friend and classmate jaemin everywhere

only has books and extra clothing in his locker

doesn’t really hang any keychains or anything on his bag; going to school style rather simple

dances for talent shows and does well despite not being in dance club

Haechan

giggly classmate

giggles at a lot of stuff that his teachers or classmates say

especially giggly during sexuality education lessons

likes to joke around with his classmates and teachers

thus making him quite close to his classmates overall and several teachers

very dramatic

exaggerates stuff in the textbooks/ the content being taught

making the class laugh a lot ofc

very outgoing, probably knows most of the people in his cohort

likes to use his phone secretly in class to text funny messages to his friends

looks forward to music class the most (apart from lunch)

random dance play with his friends during lunch, sometimes attracting a crowd

in choir

gets solos several times throughout his high school life

not a very attentive student but picks up and learns stuff realllyy quickly

his teachers and classmates would be shocked but how well he did despite not really studying

can’t wait to graduate but when he does, he gets super nostalgic

internally weeps over how he wouldn’t be able to see most of his friends again

Jaemin

wee u wee u

“nA NAAAAAAAA”

you will probably hear chen le’s voice calling jaemin eVery mOrning when he arrives in school

ryan plushie keychain on his bag, ryan phone case

comes to school with a cup of iced americano in hand

bag relatively light as he would have most of his books in the locker

locker would have pictures of him and his family and his friends

outgoing though not extremely social

in community service extracurricular

mainly visits children or elderly homes

and everybody in the homes would adore him, excited for his next arrival

average scoring student

does his weird random dances whenever he scores better than expected

accidentally flirts with everybody

female, male classmates, teachers, staff, the school cat

likes to squeeze onto one seat with his friends, especially those that sit beside the window, trapping them

usually goes to prom without a date; has fun at prom with his own friends

still dresses well for prom tho

takes the opportunity to confess to his crush during his final year prom

whom nobody actually really knew was his crush because i mean he flirts... with... almost everybody.......

Chen Le

wow this boy

even if he does not know everybody, everybody would know him

but for various reasons ofc

one is definitely because he is loud af

you can probably hear him from 20m away, 25m if he’s laughing

would always see him smiling or laughing whenever you pass by him in school

would have modest looking school supplies despite his well-off background

can probably see him playing basketball with his friends at least once or twice a week

maybe only him shooting hoops alone once in a while too

dramatic in class and everywhere else

teachers know him as the other half of dramatic brothers, along with haechan, despite being in different grades

looks forward to music classes and aces them

in choir

bass to soprano easy peasy

likes to watch horror movies with his friends on schools nights

scares them afterwards and leaves them insomniac the whole night while he sleeps soundly

sends his friends really hyped and encouraging messages before examinations/ competitions

has more gaming sessions than study sessions with classmates/ friends

Jisung

our youngest park jisunggggg

surprised by how old he already is when he first starts high school

an awkward child knowing new classmates

probably spends the first few days of the first year himself quietly, in a corner of the classroom ( big child sits at the back row )

sips on his packeted orange juice as he watches his classmates drink coffee

eventually warms to classmates but still remain relatively quiet

classmates would like to tease him but he would roast them back

in dance club

known to be one of the best dancers in dance

dances for many in and outside school events

quiet demeanour changes once he is on stage dancing

schoolmates go crazy and become his fans after seeing him dancing

shy puppy when he receives compliments from his schoolmates

respectful and friendly to everybody

bows to all the staff and teachers

blushes when juniors call him ‘oppa’ 

[unedited]

[alexisberning]

Blog Post 3

Daily Influence of Social Media

After watching Max Stossel’s lecture on the effects of social media, it is clear that social media has more of a negative effect on my life, rather than a positive one. In his lecture, Stossel refers to social media as a slot machine by using variable rewards to keep young consumers like you and I engaged. Reflecting on that statement, Instagram and Facebook are extremely successful at that technique by constantly sending you notifications with a red dot. The red dot is related to stress which results in me checking my notifications to clear them. The next thing you know, I am still on social media looking at different posts or videos and another hour has passed with zero productivity. 

Another factor of Stossel’s lecture discusses the amount of unreal or fake images that are posted on Instagram. So many people heavily alter or completely change they way they look on social media. Though that may have a positive effect on their lives, I come out on the other side with negative thoughts about my own appearance. Much like other young girls, I find myself comparing my pictures or body to their’s. This then causes a "blah” kind of state which leads to even less productivity. Social media can have good effects too, but I believe it decreases productivity all around. In regards to Max Stossel’s lecture, I think it tends to do more harm than good in young teens lives. 

Effects of the Constant Availability

In Emma Rathbone’s words: “Before the internet, you made your own fun.” After reading her article, it made me realize that the constant availability of the internet keeps us from being in the moment with our imagination. When I was in elementary school, I used to play restaurant with my sister or make up games in the driveway. This illustrates that before I grew up and learned what the internet could really do, I was able to live happily without social media and a cellphone.

Our phones make up a large part of our day from shutting off our iPhone alarm clock to giving us directions with the simple statement “Hey Siri, give me directions to Texas Roadhouse.” We have everything at the touch of a button, but what happened to using a physical map or an alarm clock that you had to reset every night. I have lived in Midland for a little over a year now and I still use my GPS to get practically everywhere. Instead, I could just drive and try to find my way without the help of the internet. I believe it is important to take a step back and just be in the moment. I would like to start taking a hiatus from social media and replacing Instagram with maybe a run outside or doodling in a notebook. In my opinion, everyone should take Emma Rathbone’s words into consideration and start making their own fun. 

More Fun with No Internet Access

In 2017, I lived through Hurricane Irma in Naples, Florida. For two weeks we were without internet, cable, A/C, basic necessities, etc. Though it was a stressful and challenging time, being able to unplug from the internet for two weeks was the best feeling. I felt as if our family reconnected and started having fun again. We started playing board games, taking walks outside, cleaning up the yard together, and having actual conversations at the dinner table. Hurricane Irma was a really hard time for Southwest Florida, but just being with my family without the internet made that tough time a lot less tough.

Max Stossel Lecture:https://vimeo.com/370135963

Emma Rathbone Article: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/06/26/before-the-internet

[i-r-a]

October Favorites

Sex and the city -  The American romantic comedy every girl should watch at least once. Funny as it may seem to some, I adore this tv show. It's obviously not a "heavy", full of educational facts tv show, but it's exactly what you need when you have 20 minutes of free time and need a cheer-me-up fest. It's funny, smart and changes your perception on a lot of things you wouldn't expect it to. I do have to want that it's a very sexual tv show meant for adults and therefore if you're under 18 I don't recommend this for you..yet.  Stranger Things-  Also known as the show everyone has been blabbing about for the past 4 days. Season 2 came out October 27th and I had watched all of it by October 28th. Although this season starts slow, it definitely reaches its peak later on. I adore the characters and their personalities, the cinematography and above all the way so many values like those of true friendship, trust, family and love are displayed in such a beautiful way, and the actors are all incredible [especially the kids] The Deep Skin YT channel- I discovered this channel thanks to Orion and Britenelle's video on it and since then I can fearlessly say it has been one of my favourite channels on Youtube. Their videos are so raw and beautiful and they show how messy and complicated humans are and how complicated their relationships are. It's so refreshing to see people express their feelings to someone else so honestly in front of a camera and you can very often see yourself in someone else and recognise your habits, mistakes and behavioural patterns in general. 

The way he looks-  A 2014 Brazilian coming-of-age romantic drama film I've recommended to more than 10 friends this past month. The story is so beautiful and not your typical kind of romance at all. The cinematography is ideal for the vibe of the film overall and the portrayal of the character's emotions is so refreshing. Out of the numerous movies I've watched this month, this one definitely belonged to those that stood out. 

You are a badass- I bought this book last summer but hadn't bothered reading it till this month. It only took me two days to read the whole thing because if there's one thing this book will do to you it's make you thirsty for improvement. It really does motivate you to change the way you view life and your perception on a lot of things. If you're going to chose one book out of all the books in this section, I insist it should be this one. 

The class by Eric Segal- I'm not going to lie; I'm only halfway through this book. I bought this book on a market for 1€ and picked it up a few days ago and I find myself unable to put it down. It's witty, smart and so well-written. The depiction of the characters' personalities, the contrast in their way of thinking as well as the differences in their background, all come together to create one of those novels you wish you could finish in one sitting. 

Licor 43 and milk- My friend Antonia is the one to blame for my addiction to this combo. I stayed over at her place one night and we had this while having a long 5 a.m conversation at the balcony about the mess in our heads, the weight of our thoughts and consciousness, the universe and so on and.... that's when my addiction was born. If you're under the legal drinking age this is definitely not for you but for all my fellow responsible adults here, this is heaven. The milk can either be hot or cold; it tastes amazing either way. But since winter is around the corner, warm up the (soy or other non-dairy) milk for the perfect warm drink on a cold fall/winter night.

Soy Milk cappuccino- Since I bought a Nespresso coffee machine, this has become part of my daily morning routine along-sides washing my face and brushing my teeth. I live in Italy so I obviously drink way more coffee than I should and you might think I'm exaggerating when I say this but I can't leave the house if I haven't had my soy cap. If you don't have a coffee machine at home, it's time to explore your neighbourhood to discover the best coffee place that can provide you with your daily coffee-intake at any moment because nothing screams productive evening more than a cup of hot coffee.

Broke girl breakfast- Bred with ricotta and raspberries ; aka the "broke girl" breakfast. Buy a fresh baguette and some toppings like jam, (vegan) butter, fruit and share it with your friends. We all know what being young and broke is and we all get that sometimes your budget just doesn't support fancy brunch in "instagram-looking" cafes, and that's okay! Go to the supermarket with your friends, put some change together and treat yourselves to a "broke-girl" breakfast at the park. 

 @lisasaysgah - LSG is a clothing brand I discovered through Instagram. Feminine, carefully crafted and stylish, this is definitely one of my favourite brands at the moment. The focus they give to creativity and to giving new designers and independent voices a place to express is beautiful. Definitely a brand to check out! [ their stories a lot of times show behind- the- scenes clips that are very interesting]  @francescodaprile - I love surrounding myself with people that inspire me, and my friend Francesco is definitely one of them. He went through one of those crises everyone goes through at some point and deleted a lot of stuff from his Instagram but his account is still very inspiring. He's one of the people that really have an eye for art and that value true aesthetics and find beauty in everything they see. 

@paigemaccready - Where do I begin with this amazing lady. She's the girl behind many of the beautiful photos you guys might have seen on the Messy Heads mag and she's the girl with one of my favourite Instagram accounts at the moment. Her photos, in contrast to the majority of photos prevailing on social media at the moment, are very raw, natural and truly capture a moment with all its emotions. Definitely someone to check out if you feel like you need an inspiration boost for your photos. 

Hoops- An obsession that started in August and has carried on till now for me has been hoops. I initially didn't want to invest in a good pair because I didn't know if I'll be feeling the vibe but I think it's time I bought some quality ones cause this is definitely not a short phase. I adore the sexy, feminine but still sassy vibe they give to every look. 

Plaid pants/skirts/jackets- If I hadn't disappeared from social media, this would be one of the things you'd know about; my newfound love for plaid pants, skirts and blazers. Plaid pants, leather jacket, red lips and messy hair has been my October uniform and will probably continue to be. A pattern that can be worn in so many different ways, so many different styles and so many different occasions, I definitely recommend you bring some plaid in your life. 

Red-  my colour of the year in all aspects and definitely my colour of the month when it comes to outfits. A couple weeks back I thrifted this red blazer I can't get enough of and before that I bought this red mini skirt that's the definition of sexy and before that I got this red sweater and so on. Nothing screams classy, sexy and cool more than a red blazer with matching pants or skirt and nothing screams more Ira than red lips and bed head all day long. 

Monochrome outfits- All red (see previous point), all yellow (pastel yellow), all nudes, all white and all pink have been my go-to look for this month. I've even done some almost total plaid looks but I always break those down with a white tee to avoid crossing the line. Monochrome looks are the easiest way to look classy, stylish and still not cry in front of your wardrobe to put them together. The easy solution to when you're running late but still need to look cool and you know.. somewhat presentable. 

Disposable film cameras- I've been shooting film for quite a while now and if you couldn't tell, I adore it. Since I got my first film camera and learned how to use it, I can't remember what life was like without it. Disposable cameras are a different feeling however. Besides them being perfect for parties, trips and generally occasions when you don't feel like carrying your camera around, their built in flash and unique vibe makes them irreplaceable and very fun to play around with. 

Bullet journals- I've been bullet journaling for more than a year now and I adore it. You can obviously buy a journal that's already prepared for you but there's something really soothing and satisfying about making it yourself. You can add doodles, customise it to any special needs and channel your creativity while being productive and organising your life at the same time. Just be careful not to fall for the "fake sense of organisation" trap and focus too much on making your task lists look pretty and not focus enough on actually getting stuff  done. 

L’Enfant Visionnaire Stickers - If you live in Milan here's a challenge: find the L'Enfant Visionnaire stickers around town and dm us a photo; we are taking over the city. After so many of you requested it, you will soon be able to find them on our online store and order them with free international shipping! 

Photo albums- Three words: magic of print. I've never been the person to print photos before but after a small project I did this summer I decided I would print photos more often and start keeping photo albums. It might sound really lame and maybe a bit pretentious but belonging in a generation that has everything available at its fingertips - only with a touch of a screen- you really start appreciating things like photo albums, vinyls, magazines and books. Maybe our world is still not ready to give up on the smell of books, the glossy printed pictures that decorate our rooms and are hidden in journals and memory boxes, and the crackling sound of a vinyl. Not yet. 

Learning how to use software on your own - Last month I gave myself InDesign classes and this month I’m focusing on video editing! Stop making excuses for yourself and go learn the things you’ve been wanting to learn for forever. You don’t need someone to teach you how to use photoshop, you just need will to learn and the program installed on your laptop.

Duolingo - Living with people from all over the world sparks your interest for a lot of things, one of which is definitely languages. Living in a foreign country Duolingo is certainly a way to practice and improve the country's language (which in my case is Italian) but it's also an amazing way to learn the basics of a new language and improve your vocabulary. Not only am I using this to train my long-gone french, I'm also starting to learn some Turkish and German on it. 

Walking everywhere - As someone living in Milan without a car (or a driving license for that matter) I have to renew my public transport card every month. This month, I decided I wouldn't.  I obviously bought tickets a couple of times, when I had to go places that were too far to walk to or I just needed to save time, but on an every-day basis, I decided my only form of transport would be walking - and sometimes biking-. Putting your headphones on and walking around is one feeling but walking around and actually paying attention to what is happening in your surroundings is another. Next time you walk somewhere leave your headphones at home and try to be present at the moment. 

[nok-abadjuan]

Nokia Jade Crooks.

01 / BASICS

Full Name: Nokia Jade Crooks

Nickname(s): Nok, Kia, Kiki

Sex/Gender: Female

Birthday: September 27, 1998

Age: 18

Astrological sign: Aquarius

Occupation: Tattoo Artist

Spoken Languages: English

Sexual orientation: Bisexual

Birthplace: Tampa, Florida

Relationship status: In A Relationship

02/ PHYSICAL TRAITS

Race: White American, Black American

Ethnicity: Greek, Irish, African-American

Hair color/style: Black, curly naturally. Straightens it or wears it in curls or weaves.

Eye color: Dark Brown

Accent (if any): Southern Miami Accent, barely there

Height: 5″10

Weight: 150

Tattoos: Sleeve (flowers), wrist and hand (female)

Piercings: Ears, belly button

Unique attributes: High cheekbones, compared to Lauren London a lot

Defining gestures/movements: Pouts a lot

Posture: Regular

03 / PERSONALITY TRAITS

Pet peeves: Fake people, being lied to, being used, people who don’t cover their coughs or sneezes, people who don’t respect others opinions, weak ass niggas, copycats, passive aggressive people, people who can’t own up to anything, scaredy cats, when people tell you to do something as you're doing it, being betrayed

Hobbies/interests: Art, painting, drawing, walking around the mall, exploring places and things, hanging out, eating, watching youtube and going to the movies

Special skills/abilities: Very artistic but doesn’t really show it off, can do a split and back flip

Likes: Making friends, going out, laughing and being silly, cuddling, pumpkin spice lattes, baking desserts or pinning new ones from Pinterest, looking at herself in the mirror, looking at pretty women with nice bodies, going to sex store and buying sex toys to be goofy with and use, pranking, surprising people, reading conspiracy theories online, wikipedia is life, helping poor people

Dislikes: Being told what to do, being judged without being given a chance, sensing someone’s dislike for her or talking about her, people who talk about those less fortunate, being let down, fighting, arguing, not being given a chance, the dark, scary things like ghosts and monsters, scary movies,

Insecurities: Her weight, her shape, her hair, her past drug use and addictions, being easily controlled and persuaded to make others happy

Quirks/eccentricities: Dots her i’s with a heart, draws random doodles on any piece of paper in front of her, strongly dislikes the sound of chewing and hums a quiet song while eating, writes with left hand, but does everything else right-handed, loves to hug or touch on people

Strengths: Creative, love of learning, very wise and loving, really kind and sweet, cares about others, makes a great friend very loyal, forgives easily

Weaknesses: Gets in her feelings easily, very sensitive, gets her feelings hurt easily, easily irritated

Speaking style: Has kind of southern drawl, curses and says nasty things to be silly or funny, can be sometime ghetto in speech

Temperament: Bad temper, irritable, sensitive, emotional

04 / FAMILY & HOME

Family: Her father Gael and her mother Tammy do not get along. They hooked up the summer after senior year of high school when he broke up with his girlfriend and Tammy got pregnant. He went away for college with his girlfriend and eventually married her. He was barely in Nokia’s life and his wife now ex wife, forced him to stay out of Nokia’s life. She grew up with her white side of the family. Being the only dark one, she was picked on and set apart a lot. Her and her mother were kicked out her grandmother’s house and were homeless, lived in a woman’s shelter, then lived in a trailer with her mother’s boyfriend at 12, then they finally got their own 1 bedroom apartment. When she was 15/16 he took her mother to custody after his divorce and won custody over her because he had the money; being a surgeon. She moved to Miami to live with him and to live a better life, taking fun trips and having her own room.

How does (s)he feel about his/her family? She doesn’t like her maternal grandmother. She’s racist against blacks and thinks they’re dirty and did not forget to remind Nokia about herself and her father. She used to tell Tammy she was a slut for sleeping with a black man and having his baby. She called Nokia a porch monkey and little monkey. Called her a nigger whenever she was angry and drunk. Tammy and Nokia are close but they have their drifting moments. Nokia got her drug and alcohol habits from her mother. She used to buy her mother cigarettes and started stealing them to smoke with her friends. She started drinking alcohol because sometimes that was all there was in the house. They got high together a few times but Nokia got clean and her mother still struggles with her own addictions which she tries to hide but Nokia knows the truth. Nokia and Gael are now cooler than when she was younger and first moved in with him. She hated him because her grandmother filled her head with negative thoughts. She used to love when he came to see her or called her as a kid. She got older and realized he put his wife before her and hated him for it and the fact that she had to struggle growing up. They’re now in a better place because Nokia is learning how to forgive people and let things go.

How does his/her family feel about him/her? Her mother depends a lot on her. Since they kind of grew up together, being that she was young herself when she had her; they’re like sisters. Nokia’s father tries to do everything to keep her happy but shows his disappointment when she’s not happy with her. They both love her and she’s the only reason they’d ever come together but she never has asked them to, so they don’t see each other. They haven’t been in the same room in years.

Pets: None.

Where does (s)he live? Her father helped her get a small place but she’s breaking her lease because her boyfriend wants her to move in, so she’s living with him now in a really nice townhouse.

What is it like there? Enough rooms, beautiful from the outside, not much going on. Very calm atmosphere, quiet neighborhood.

Description of his/her home: Modern Townhouse.

Description of his/her bedroom: She sleeps in her boyfriend’s bedroom. Is moving in new furniture and they’re changing the decoration to be more neutral and sexy for the both of them.

05/ THIS OR THAT

Introvert or extrovert? Ambivert

Optimist or pessimist? Realist

Leader or follower? Depends on the situation

Confident or self-conscious? Self-Conscious

Cautious or careless? Careless

Religious or secular? Secular for the most part

Passionate or apathetic? Passionate

Book smarts or street smarts? Street Smarts

Compliments or insults? Compliments

Pajamas or lingerie? Pajamas

06 / FAVORITES

Favorite color: Black, Lavender, Lilac

Favorite clothing style/outfit: Tshirts, shorts, pants, sweatpants, dresses, heels, sneakers, flats. Has a girly but boyish style.

Favorite bands/songs/type of music: Yellowcard, Linkin Park, Paramore, Green Day, No Doubt, Gwen Stefani, Bob Marley, The Wailers, Peter Tosh, Shaggy, Destiny’s Child, Jodeci, TLC, Dru Hill, Xscape, B2K ,The Supremes, The Temptations, The Isley Brothers, Rihanna, Frank Ocean, Michael Jackson, Prince, Erykah Badu, Janelle Monae, Lauryn Hill, Chaka Khan, Ciara, Whitney Houston, Jazmin Sullivan

Favorite movies: Coming to America, Love Jones, Woo, Eve’s Bayou, Set it Off, The Grinch, Home Alone, This Christmas, The Preacher’s Wife, City of God, Cooley High, Juice, Losing Isaiah, Poetic Justice, The Wiz, Love & Basketball, The Last King of Scotland, The Princess and the Frog, Dreamgirls, Coming of age movies, cartoon movies, biopics etc.

Favorite TV shows: Atlanta, Insecure, Chappelle’s show, OITNB, Blackish, Power, The Proud Family, A Different World, The Boondocks, Girlfriends, One on One, In Living Color, Family Matters, Moesha, The Steve Harvey Show, Parkers, Talk shows, Court TV/Judge shows, crime shows, Half & Half, Survivor’s Remorse, Hey Arnold, Criminal Minds, RHOATL, Black Ink Crew, LHH, Fresh Prince

Favorite books: Monster, The Coldest Winter Ever, Kite Runner, Aesop Fables, The Wave, Desert Flower, Of Mice and Men, Number the Stars, Hunger Games, Life of Pi, The Giver, My Sister’s Keeper, The DUFF, The Lightning Thief, The Maze Runner, The Outsiders, Speak, Stargirl, The First Part Last, Tyrell, Good Girlz series, Kimani Tru books, Drama High series, Bluford High series

Favorite foods/drinks: Pasta, pizza with a lot of sauce, anything cheesy, fried chicken, buffalo wings with blue cheese, McDonald’s fries, slushies, homemade lemonade, gummy bears, skittles, zebra cakes, saltine crackers, apple juice, grape juice

Favorite sports/sports teams: None

Favorite actors/actresses: None

Favorite time of day: Night Time

Favorite weather/season: When it’s chilly outside or it rains and thunderstorms, warm breezy days

Favorite animal: None

07 / MISCELLANEOUS

Fears/Superstitions: Other people dogs scare her, scared of the dark, scary movies, ghosts, monsters, scary stories

Political views: None

Religion/philosophy of life: Believes in God but doesn’t go to church, wasn’t brought up in church, only knows basic biblical stories everyone else knows

Allergies: Spiders

Addictions: Used to have a drug and alcohol problem. Heavy drugs like cocaine, LSD, shrooms and weed

Best school subject: She was always good in math, gym class and art

Worst school subject: Hated science

School clubs/sports: None

How does (s)he get money? Tattoo Artist and her father gives her something like an allowance

How is (s)he with technology? Very good with technology and social media

08 / PAST & FUTURE

Fondest memory: Going to the kids choice awards with her dad when she was 12.

Dream vacation: Anywhere with water, beach, sand and beautiful tourists spots

Best thing that has ever happened to this character: Rose Kairi Knight

Worst thing that has ever happened to this character: Being addicted, trying to fit in, her upbringing, doing things for attention, being jumped and bullied, being physically abused, getting hit by a car

What does (s)he want to be when (s)he grows up? She never really had dreams or thought about that

Perfect date: Anywhere as long as the conversation is good and they can both laugh and make memories

[danhcwll-blog]

the beach || phan (3)

chapters: 3/?

words: 1578

description:

“if i told you that i loved you tell me, what would you say?”

dan is a model; phil is a writer

inspiration: the beach by the neighbourhood

[ let me know what you thought of this chapter! ]

.

dan's pov

i went to check my mailbox in the apartment building's lobby, as i took the elevator back to my floor i looked at the mail, some subscriptions here and there but there was a fancy looking envelope mixed with the pile as well.

you've been invited!

i sighed, i had to make an appearance at yet another red carpet event, which ultimately meant going to the club after. i used to love doing this, i was quite arrogant in the beginning of my career, and so i got wasted did whatever i wanted and whoever i wanted with no regards, or second thought. now that i'm sober for a year, i try to avoid this as much as possible, but it's also apart of my job. which i'm beginning to hate.

i threw the invitation in the trash, still rsvping them saying that i would go, even though i really didn't want to. i emailed it to them, never checking a plus one because even in my fuckboy days, i was always there by myself. this is the life i made for myself though, i shouldn't be complaining so much, others have it worse.

.

it was the day of the red carpet event, showing up for yet another fashion designer to promote them, watching other models walk the run way that were much much more skinnier than i. i decided on wearing just a black button up with black fitted slacks, taking a deep breath i grabbed my phone and wallet and walked out my loft, locking the door behind me, and instead of calling my driver, i decider to take a walk to the nearest Starbucks. which was the Starbucks i always went to but it's been a while.

i used to go to the Starbucks closest to my apartment all the time, but i had stopped going since i've been rather busy. i used to go almost every other day because of the coffee, but then a certain raven-haired lad arrived and he became my reason for showing up.

i walked in, looking around for the lad with the blue-green, and sometimes even yellow eyes, but he was nowhere to be found. i mentally sighed, really hoping to see him, but then remembered that i didn't even believe in love to begin with. so i walked up to the register, half-smiling to the barista and just asking for a hot chocolate with a cinnamon sprinkle. once i paid i went to my usual spot, in the corner by the window, where the glass was fogged up and i would make little doodles, and then proceeded to just scroll through my tumblr feed on my phone. they called my name and i got up to grab my drink, i had an hour before i needed to call my driver and get going, and it was nice to have this bit of time to sit back and relax. not too long after receiving my hot chocolate, i looked up to see that the raven-haired lad had arrived, i felt my cheeks get hot and my heart begin to race. it had been a while since i've seen him and he still makes my heart race. i cleared my throat and looked down at my phone, sinking into my seat a bit out of nervousness, as if i was trying to hide from him even though he probably didn't even notice me to begin with.

i glanced up, peeping my eyes over my phone and seeing him sit in the same seat that wasn't too far from mine. he pulled out his gold mac laptop, set down his drink, adjusted his glasses and began typing away. i stared at him for a little while, always intrigued and caught in a trance as i watched him type away, he did it so smoothly, without a second thought as if he was planning in his head what he was going to type before hand.

but then he stopped.

he had never stopped typing before, not even for a break, and i was confused. i saw the crease in between his eyebrows, the crease of writer's block and frustration. i began nibbling at my bottom lip, tapping my fingers against the fake wooden table, debating whether or not to speak up and talk to him for the first time.

"looks like you're having trouble there."

shit what did i just do.

he looked up, and for the first time, his blue eyes met my brown ones. he smirked a bit and sat back in his seat and nodded his head, chuckling a bit.

"yeah i am, writing something a bit different so it's harder to think of what to say."

my heart raced a bit, hearing his voice for the first time, it was like a baritone voice. it was perfect. i could tell he was also from another part of england, his voice having a sort of twang to it when pronouncing certain words.

"hey that's a good thing though, you're doing something different and you really wanna make sure that it's perfect. it happens." i replied, mentally fist pumping the air because of how well crafted my response was.

"you're right..." he said, his voice drifting as he kept looking at me, and then suddenly he started grabbing his stuff and brought it over to where i was sitting, taking a seat in front of me and smiling.

"i'm philip lester, you can call me phil."

i felt my cheeks heat up more, he was now sitting in front of me, i'm sorry, phil was now sitting in front of me. and i finally knew his name.

"daniel howell, you can call me dan." i said with a smile, wanting to put my hand out and shake his but then realized that this is the 21st century, and not many people do that anymore.

"it's nice to meet you dan." he said, his voice confident while my response... "it's n-nice to finally meet you too."

...was utter crap.

phil furrowed his brows as he looked at me, he must've caught me saying finally. "what do you mean by finally?"

shit dan, what the bloody hell did you just do.

"i-i well... i've always seen you in this Starbucks and i've actually wanted to talk to you for a while but i've never had the chance to... or the confidence."

phil chuckled a bit, and i was suddenly embarrassed, what have i just done.

"that's rather cute, i've noticed you as well but haven't said anything because you always seemed like you wanted to be by yourself, it's quite intimidating." he replied with a chuckle, i sighed in relief that the response was better than i thought it was gonna be.

"that's quite a relief, i literally thought you would make fun of me for it... i don't really know why, so don't mind me." i said, beginning to mumble towards the end, a habit of mine that i hate actually.

"no it's fine, but question, would you be alright with listening to what i've typed so far? it's nice to have someone critique."

i nodded my head, feeling honored that he asked me. and so he proceeded to read what i was assuming a prologue, and i was so intrigued by how he spoke. how animated he was, and he wasn't even moving his hands, or moving about the room. he was sitting still, his eyebrows moving a bit whenever he said some certain syllables, his mouth intricately moving, speaking rhythmically and fluently, as if it had just happened yesterday.

"how was it?" he asked, his baritone voice snapping me out of my daze. "i- it was lovely, absolutely amazing."

he smiled, an angelic smile that made my heart skip a beat because i had caused that, that smile was because of me.

"t-thank you."

"alright love birds, i'm sorry but you're gonna have to leave, we need to close." a worker who was now standing at our table.

we blushed at the phrase he used to refer to us but started packing up, and eventually left the premises, leaving us out in the december cold. we stood there in front of each other, hands in our coat pockets, both of our relatively pale faces flushed red in certain areas because of sharpness of the cold. we both opened our mouths to speak, but then chuckled a bit because of the awkwardness.

"sorry, you go." phil had said, being a gentleman.

i smirked a bit, revealing my right dimple as i did so. "it was really nice meeting you, and talking to you, good luck with the book, i'm excited to read it."

phil looked as if he was taken aback, as if i had stunned him by what i had just said but i decided to not call him out on that.

"it was lovely meeting you too, i hope to talk to you again soon?" i nodded my head, "definitely."

"bye, dan." he said with another one of his sweet, angelic smiles.

"bye, phil."

and with that we turned in the opposite direction, and began walking our separate ways, and for the first time in a long time i smiled...

without being told to do so.

.

[ hope y'all liked this chapter, i had a lot of fun writing it. follow me on my social medias!: ig //  lnh.x twitter // laurenrblvd snap // lenixsnow